What makes a campground great? That’s like asking a room full of Italians what the best pasta is. For us, a great campground includes a mix of gorgeous views, proximity to fun things to do, helpful camp hosts, spacious lots, great food nearby, and connecting with friends or family.
If you are planning a camping trip out West and looking for campgrounds that encompass those things, then we’ve got a campgrounds list for you!
Which States made the list?
- Texas
- New Mexico
- Utah
- Montana
- Idaho
- Oregon
River Bend, Austin, TX
We spent a month at this unique and exclusive campground. With only 5 available RV spots, this campground is a hidden gem located right on the Colorado River. Ahem, that’s the Texas Edition Colorado River. We didn’t realize Texas has its own Colorado River until we stayed here. And despite experiencing the Snowmageddon that crippled Texas in February earlier this year, the views of the river with easy access to all of Austin’s Hill Country ranks this campground as one of the best in our journey out West. We really loved this place!
Easy access to all the weird in Austin and of course no Texas experience would be complete without BBQ. So if you find yourself in Austin, we definitely recommend grabbing some high quality brisket at Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ!
Coronado Campground, Bernalillo, NM
There are few campgrounds that ooze authenticity and a sense of place and we found one here at Coronado. From personal adobe structures at each spot, to the banks of the Rio Grande River, even ancient settlements nearby, Coronado Campground is an absolute gem!
Did we mention there were real life Roadrunners here! Beep. Beep.
Bernalillo is next to Rio Rancho, both of which are suburbs of Albuquerque so you’re out of the city, but not really. With Albuquerque only 20 minutes away, you’ve got a little bit of everything, from wineries to petroglyphs and of course all the the funky vibes. We enjoyed Old Town for best shopping experiences for Talavera pottery and authentic Mexican art.
Being able to walk to the Rio Grande or access the Coronado Historic Site from your campsite gives this campground a big two thumbs up from us. And an added bonus to this campground is there is a brewery right next to it. Perfect for quick brews and food any night during your stay. Does it get better than this?
This is a state campground, so stay is limited to 14 days and reservations are required.
Rollin’ Home RV, Nephi, UT
Nephi (pronounced nee-fie), was meant to be a two-week pit stop after a whirlwind National Park Tour where we could wind down and chill.
With 360° mountain views, two gorgeous valleys to explore, and the charming bedroom community that is Spanish Fork not far away, we ended up loving this stop. This campground is relatively new and quiet even though the highway is close. Spots are large, level, and the view of the mountain is majestic.
One very unique thing about Rollin’ Home RV that we’ve never seen before was that we had two septic tank access points. And since we have two separate grey tanks this was awesome. You could tell the owners did their research when building.
Yellowstone Holiday RV, Lake Hebgen MT
Because Yellowstone is the second most visited National Park in the U.S. and we were planning our visit during the very busy Summer season, we made our reservations well in advance for this campground. Our plan was to meet up with Erin’s brother and family, so getting plans in place were imperative. This campground did not disappoint.
This campground is situated among a breathtaking backdrop of mountains, big sky, and right on Hebgen Lake. The great thing about this campground besides the views and proximity to West Yellowstone entrance is the ability for cabin and boat rentals. We took advantage and rented a boat so we could cruise the lake and the kids could go tubing. What a great way to cool off on a hot summer day with family in tow, literally! Click here to see more pics and video of our boating experience.
Teton Peaks, Tetonia, ID
This campground despite it’s ruggedness makes this list for the views and an awesome staff. We found ourselves needing to book another week on a July 4th holiday weekend and they made it happen! We had to move a couple times and had to borrow electric from the site next to us for a few days, but man, it was worth it for the views and proximity to some really fabulous experiences.
The small towns Tetonia, Driggs, and Victor leading into Jackson Hole were so much fun to explore! With live music concerts each week, crafts fairs every weekend, and the annual Hot Air Balloon Rally, we found ourselves in the ‘perfect spot’ to celebrate America on the 4th of July.
The proximity to Swan Valley and scenic drives in Jackson Hole, WY were also icing on the gravy for this location. Super awesome place to be in the Summer months.
Oh yeah, and of course there’s Grand Tetons National Park…
Bay Point Landing, Coos Bay, OR
If you haven’t noticed it by now, access to rivers, lakes, bays, or oceans, really elevates an RV camping experience for us. Bay Point Landing takes it to the next level with it’s own private beach that is dog friendly. Lincoln was in heaven!
We discovered Oregon’s Bay area is actually more well known for the nearby sand dunes in Florence, which is a 20-minute drive from this campground. We found this place to be a treasure as it’s the perfect spot to take in the seaside views right from your campsite and close proximity to the state parks this area has to offer.
We rented an OHV and did some riding ourselves. We highly recommend Spinreel if you’re looking for rentals to cruise the Dunes while visiting. We’ve got some still shots of us riding the dunes over on Instagram here.
That is our top campground stays so far this year. We did have a few honorable mentions and if you happen to be passing through these areas traversing from one place to the next, these campgrounds are worth a mention:
Dellanera RV Park in Galveston, TX – What makes this campground awesome is it directly on the Gulf and you can let the puppers galavant on the beach. And we love that. Plus access to all the fun of Galveston and not too far from Houston for day-exploring.
Willow Bay in American Falls, ID – This place has huge spots with marina access and located on the Snake River reservoir. Perfect spot for fishing or dipping the paws in the lake.
E and J RV 